Wednesday, November 18, 2015

What's Wrong #10 - Too much trouble to open a utilities account

SP Services requires the owner or tenant to open an utilities account on each occasion where there is a change of tenancy. They have a complicated process to open an account. It includes providing documents to verify identity of the person who is paying the bills. The online website has bugs, even today. They also have a troublesome process to read the meters.


What's wrong?
The process is troublesome for the person for the owner and tenant. It took me more than one hour to handle the simple formality of opening the account and providing the information. This is more troublesome for the owner who has to make a special visit to complete the paperwork and to arrange the meter reading.

How to put it right
Just allow a change of name and billing address of the person who is paying the bills. This can be done by a simple online request or by a request sent by fax. 

If there is any issue about the ability to pay the bills, ask the payer to send a deposit. They are already required to pay the deposit anyway.

There is no risk that an unauthorized person who apply for utilities to the premise. Who wants to do such a thing? There is no need to check that it is the owner or the tenant who is applying for the supply. If this check is removed, the process can be simplified.

It is easy for the existing or new account owner to take a photograph of the meter reading and send to SP Services. There is no need to make a visit. Both the old and new account payers will probably not mind any small difference in the bill.

It is possible for SP Services to simplify this process for a transfer of name. There is no need to open or close an account, and to do it in a very troublesome way.


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